This excerpt from the novel "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe paints a vivid picture of an evening in an Igbo village through the eyes of the clan leader, Okonkwo. As night falls, twilight lives unfold in the huts of the compound. The scene is set, with the oil lamps as the only source of light, placed ..................
The Shell Falls Apart - New Broadway - Class 6 - English
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Back Questions - The Shell Falls Apart | New Broadway | Literature | English | Class 6
In the beginning of the story, how does the writer describe the night? Pick out examples from the first three paragraphs to support your answer.
The writer describes the night as impenetrably dark. There are references that highlight how pitch black it was such as:
“The moon had been rising later and later every night until now it was seen only at dawn”. This statement indicates the absence of the moon, which would normally provide some light during the night.
“And whenever the moon rose at cock-crow the nights were as black as charcoal.” This comparison further underlines the extent of the darkness, drawing a parallel with the color of charcoal.
“Without it [the palm-oil lamp], it would have been impossible to eat; one could not have known where one’s mouth was in the darkness of that night”. The author emphasizes the necessity of artificial light sources, owing to the intense darkness that made even the simplest of tasks like eating challenging.
“There was an oil lamp in all the four huts on Okonkwo’s compound, and each hut seen from the others looked like a soft eye of yellow half-light set in the solid massiveness of night”. The description here provides another visual representation demonstrating the depth of darkness surrounding the huts.
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Who is Okonkwo? What was his family doing in the darkness of the night? Do you think the setting is perfect for storytelling?
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Sign up now‘Nothing that happened in the world of the animals ever escaped his notice; he was full of cunning.’
Who was ‘he’? Why is he described as ‘full of cunning’?
What did he notice in the world of animals?
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Sign up nowWhy did Tortoise plan to go to the sky?
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Sign up nowInitially the birds did not want to take Tortoise with them to the feast. What was the reason? What made them change their mind? Do you think this was a good decision?
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Sign up nowTortoise became the leader of the group because ................................. (complete the sentence.)
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Sign up now‘Our hosts in the sky will expect us to honour this age-old custom.’
What was the custom?
Do you think this was a real custom?
Why did Tortoise talk about the custom?
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Sign up nowWhy did the hosts consider Tortoise to be the King?
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Sign up nowWhat kind of food was served to the birds and Tortoise? How did Tortoise react when one of the men invited the birds to eat?
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Sign up nowHow did Tortoise cheat the birds?
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Sign up nowWhat happened to Tortoise’s shell in the end?
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Sign up now‘In the end Parrot, who had felt angrier than the others, suddenly changed his mind and agreed to take the message.’
What did the birds do in anger? Do you think this was the right thing to do?
Why do you think Parrot changed his mind?
What message did Parrot give to Tortoise’s wife?
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Sign up nowWhat part of the story did you like the best? Give reasons.
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Sign up now‘.... a man who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.’ Explain the significance of this statement in relation to what happens to Tortoise in the story.
Does the story have a moral? What is it that we can learn by observing the behaviour of the birds and Tortoise?
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Sign up nowLook at the sentences from the story:
The nights were as black as charcoal.
Each hut .... looked like a soft eye of yellow half-light set in the solid massiveness of night.
His body rattled like a piece of dry stick n his empty shell.
In the sentences two things that are similar are compare using words as ... as and like
Complete the sentences to bring out the comparison.
In sentence a, the darkness of the night is compared to .................................... .
In sentence b, the light shining from the oil lamp in the dark hut, when seen from the other hut, is compared to the .................................... .
In sentence c, the comparison is between the rattling bones in Tortoise’s body and
................................................................................................................................... .
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Sign up nowRearrange the sentences to make a summary of the story. The first and last sentences are in order.
a. Ekwefi tells Ezinma a story about a greedy, cunning tortoise.
b. As they travel to the feast, Tortoise also persuades them to take new names for the fest
according to custom.
c. When they arrive, Tortoise asks his hosts for whom the feast is prepared.
d. All the birds have been invited to a feast in the sky and Tortoise persuades the birds to lend
him feathers to make wings so that he can attend the feast as well.
e. He tells the birds that his name will be ‘All of you’.
f. They reply, ‘For all of you.’
g. The birds, angry and disgruntled at receiving only scraps, take back the feathers that they
had given to Tortoise so that he is unable to fly home.
h. Maliciously, Parrot tells Tortoise’s wife to bring out all the hard things.
i. Tortoise proceeds to eat and drink the best parts of the food and wine.
j. Tortoise persuades Parrot to deliver a message to his wife: he wants her to cover their
compound with soft things so that he can jump from the sky without danger.
k. When Tortoise jumps, his shell breaks into pieces on impact. A medicine man puts it
together again, which is why the tortoise’s shell is not smooth.
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Sign up nowExtra Questions - The Shell Falls Apart | New Broadway | Literature | English | Class 6
Draw the character sketch of the tortoise.
The tortoise in the folk tale shared by Ekwefi is portrayed as a complex character. He was Cunning as he leverages his sharp wit to manipulate situations to his benefit, as he persuades the birds to allow him to partake in the sky feast. He is an eloquent speaker, whose speeches charm those around him. However, he is also dishonest and ungrateful, as shown by his selfish behaviour at the feast where he eats all the food despite the help he received from birds. This behaviour leads to his recklessness and unwise decisions, like jumping from the sky, causing his shell to shatter.
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Where was the birth invited and how did it affect the birds and the tortoise?
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Sign up nowWhat message did the parrot give to tortoise wife?
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Vocabulary - Flashcards - The Shell Falls Apart | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
About the Author - The Shell Falls Apart | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
Chinua Achebe was a renowned Nigerian novelist, poet, critic, and professor, and was an integral part of the African literary awakening in the 20th century. Born in 1930, he gained worldwide recognition for his debut novel, "Things Fall Apart." The book, published in 1958, is hailed as a classic of African literature and is widely studied across international curriculums. Achebe's works grapple with the nuances of colonialism and its aftermath in Africa. He had an unapologetic portrayal of African life and constantly challenged the Western-influenced stereotype of Africa. He is also known for his work with the Africa Writers Series, where he fostered and published works by African authors. Achebe was undoubtedly one of the most significant African literary figures of the 20th century, and his works continue to be relevant even today. He passed away in 2013.
Summary - The Shell Falls Apart | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
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Themes - The Shell Falls Apart | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
1. The Importance of Storytelling:
This chapter emphasizes the Igbo tradition of storytelling. Storytelling is used as a tool for teaching and entertaining. Through folktales, the older....
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1. Introduction and Setting:
The chapter begins by setting the scene of a typical evening in an Igbo village, centred around Okonkwo's compound where Ekwefi and ....
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Unlock now 🔓Important Lines - The Shell Falls Apart | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
“Ezinma and her mother sat on a mat on the floor after their supper of yam foo-foo and bitter-leaf soup.”
This line paints a vivid picture of domestic....
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Unlock now 🔓Vocabulary - The Shell Falls Apart | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
Impenetrably - (adverb) in a way that cannot be penetrated or entered; in a way that is impossible to understand or perceive.
The dense forest was so impenetrably thick that even the sunlight struggled to find its way through.
Uli - (noun) a type of traditional Igbo body art, typically involving intricate patterns painted on the skin with natural dyes.
The women of the tribe decorated themselves with uli patterns for the special festival.
Rattled - (verb) made a rapid series of slight noise; disturbed, unsettled.
His sudden outburst..........................
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